Introduction:

UPDATED 17/AUG/24 V 1.217B

These Terms & Conditions have been established and published in response to the observed decline in societal moral standards, the erosion of common sense, and the diminishing presence of integrity and values in contemporary interactions, and sadly are only about 50% satirical.

In an era where ethical conduct and respectful behavior are increasingly overlooked, these guidelines serve as a necessary framework to uphold and reinforce the principles of honesty, fairness, and decency in all forms of engagement, whether professional, social, or personal.

The necessity for these Terms & Conditions is highlighted by several notable incidents that reflect a decline in ethical standards and professional integrity. These include but not limited to:

  1. Conflict of Interest at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival: An incident where the winning short film at the festival was produced by the long time (+10 years) Producer of a jury member, leading to an undisclosed conflict of interest that compromised the fairness of the competition, which in any functioning society would have lead to the award being revoked. The director of the winning film, Vasilis Kekatos, had invited a Cannes committee member, Wim Vanacker, to be a jury member in a festival that him, Vasilis, had organized in Greece in 2018. Then Vanacker, as an Artistic Director, had invited Kekatos to a screen writing lab which he lad (NISIMASA) the same year. So the “weirdness” and “coincidences” concerning this award span multiple years and cases.

  2. Financial Misconduct in Production: This includes a production manager attempting to steal hundreds of dollars from a 12-year-old, a case where a producer spent $4,500 on plane tickets for a journey between two cities that could be covered by a six-hour drive, demonstrating a blatant disregard for responsible financial management, and many other such cases spanning different productions.

  3. Misrepresentation and Investment Fraud: A ““Producer”” misrepresented an investment opportunity to illicitly secure a £50,000 investment, claiming that someone else had already invested £600,000 illustrating unethical financial practices, later to be discovered as, allegedly, a serial con artist.

  4. Attempted Extortion by a Distribution Company: A distribution company attempted to extort €9,000 (in three installments based on success) for promotional activities for a short film, despite having already signed a six-year contract to represent it with pre-defined conditions, showcasing exploitative and bullying business practices, which are well documented.

  5. Breach of Confidentiality: An instance where a Manager disclosed sensitive professional information to a third party within minutes of the information being disclosed, quickly and falsely denied these actions against any common sense, and then adding insult to injury, demanding an apology for being confronted with the facts, breaching any kind of trust and professional ethics. Another case in which a Producer titling his project ‘Abel’ days after reading a script titled ‘Abel’ for a short film already in production.

  6. Widespread Discrimination in Professional Spheres: A pervasive pattern of discrimination across numerous professional organizations, manifesting as nepotism, gender bias, racial discrimination, and prejudice based on sexual orientation and / or preferences.

Parties

These Terms and Conditions apply to businesses, their employees, shareholders and directors, to individuals of all ages, governmental bodies and those who work for them, social organizations, for profit or not, and any other entity, be it legal or natural, dealing, in communication, in a relationship, partnership or cooperation with, be it social, romantic, business like, transactional, or otherwise, or/and of any other kind, be it a friend, family or a complete stranger, (“you” “your” “yours”), with Dekel Berenson, born in Haifa, Israel. (“me” “I’m” “I am”), or any company or business that I own in part or fully, together “parties”. 

Preamble

  1. These Terms and Conditions apply anywhere in the world and are valid in perpetuity.

  2. The responsibility for being familiar with these Terms and Conditions falls on any entity mentioned above. By dealing with me in any capacity, be it legal, social, romantic, be it a lengthy or fleeting, physical or virtual, up close or long distance, you have accepted these Terms and Conditions.

  3. If you are unable to adhere to these Terms and Conditions you are strongly requested and encouraged to not establish any kind of relationship with me, be it professional, social or romantic.

    Violation of these Terms & Conditions may result in, within the law, severe adverse consequences to you or your organization.

Recitals

I take your actions, words, statements, and our agreements, be them written or verbal, legally binding or not, marketing and promotional materials and/or any other type and form of communication, be it verbal or non verbal, as truthful and accurate, full, complete and correct. I assume all your actions and communication to be with the intention of creating mutual benefit to both parties, be it social, monetary, spiritual, physical or otherwise.

Therefore:

Agreement

You will not lie, cheat, manipulate, deceive, threaten, take advantage, defraud, rob, con, use, abuse, gaslight, backstab, defame, insult, harm and/or exploit me in any way shape or form, nor attempt to do so, as defined within the expectations of mainstream society in western countries, common sense and, when applicable, the law.

Below is an expansion of what is expected from you in various categories.

A) The Right to use Laptops in Public

If you are a coffee shop or restaurant, and I purchase coffee, or another type of beverage, or food, at your establishment, I also expect the right to use my laptop at the table (or other space) in front of me. If the establishment is less than 50% full, I may use this right for up to two hours without needing to purchase something else. If the capacity exceeds 50%, I will limit my use to no more than 30 minutes, as I am considerate of other customers and your business, and unlike many, I am not an asshole. Similarly, if you have a clearly marked "no laptop policy," I will, of course, respect your rules but may use my laptop for the time it takes me to finish my drink or food, though in any case this will not exceed 15 minutes.

B) Professionalism when dealing with me in any capacity:

When engaging in any form of interaction or collaboration with me, it is essential that you represent your professional abilities and competencies accurately and truthfully. You are obliged not to claim expertise or competence in any field or task unless you possess the necessary skills and knowledge to perform at the highest level. This expectation applies regardless of your formal titles, educational qualifications, degrees, or any other indicators that might superficially suggest a certain level of skill or ability. Such indicators are not the sole determinants of competence; instead, your abilities will be assessed based on the actual results and outcomes of your work. Historical performance, self-proclaimed professionalism, or endorsements from third parties, including service platforms that aggregate past client experiences, will not substitute for actual performance. If you, or your organization, are not fully capable of performing a task or service to the level that has been claimed, or to the standard that I expect based on your representations, you are advised not to offer, propose, apply for, or suggest your services or those of your company or employees in any capacity. The focus is on real, demonstrable competence and the ability to deliver results as promised.

C) Jokes and Humor Disclaimer:

In interacting with me and by any platform or medium, including in person, individuals expressly acknowledge and agree that humor, including jokes, satire, and comedic commentary, is a fundamental aspect of the expression and communication utilized. By engaging with such content, individuals waive any right to perceive such humorous content as a personal attack, insult, or as a basis for claiming emotional or psychological harm or disability. It is understood that humor is subjective and may encompass a wide range of topics and perspectives. I bear no responsibility for misinterpretations or adverse reactions to such content by other parties. Individuals engaging with me in any way agree to approach humor in the spirit of open-mindedness and understanding, recognizing that jokes may not be a reflection of personal beliefs, intentions, or values, and are intended solely for entertainment purposes.

In particular, I refuse to take responsibility for any jokes or statements made by me 20 years ago or more, be them in person or online.

D) Evaluating me and my work in a professional capacity of any kind, including professional events, applications of any sort, interviews which are part of an evaluation process, and for awards of any kind.

When assessing my work, regardless of its nature — artistic, professional, or otherwise — and irrespective of the mode of evaluation (in person or virtual), it is imperative that you conduct yourself with the utmost moral integrity. You are obligated to declare any conflicts of interest and to evaluate my work solely on its merits, without regard to my gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or your personal opinions about me. Your assessment should not be influenced by personal relationships, nor should you accept monetary compensation from other creators whose work is being compared to mine. In situations where you handle applications or submissions, it is expected that you will fairly and thoroughly evaluate my work alongside others, especially when a monetary fee is involved in the submission process. If your event is promoted as, and is generally understood to be, a fair competition or contest, this expectation must be fulfilled in practice.

Non-compliance with these standards may trigger an investigation into your practices. This investigation could involve statistical analysis, a review of your methods, interviews with past and present employees, among other legal avenues.

Should you find yourself unable to meet these conditions, you are required to notify me in writing within three business days from the date of my application, submission, or entry into your competition, festival, or other event. Be advised that such notification will be made public and will necessitate alterations to your promotional materials, accurately depicting the true nature of your event as unfair and biased.

E) Moral and Ethical Integrity in Social or Professional Settings.

In any form of interaction with me, be it professional, social, or romantic, you are expected to uphold a standard of behavior that is respectful, ethical, and morally sound. Offensive behaviors, actions of questionable ethics, or those of low moral value are strictly prohibited in our dealings. This includes refraining from requesting my participation in any actions that are objectionable, regardless of their legal status. Your conduct should not be offensive or morally reprehensible by the standards of mainstream Western society and common sense, towards either myself or others, in any context where I am present, whether physically or virtually. The expectation is to foster a respectful and dignified environment in all interactions, ensuring that our relationship, in whatever form it may take, is grounded in mutual respect and adherence to societal norms of decency and ethical behavior.

F) Disavowal of Responsibility for Other Peoples’ Crimes, Rejection of Second-hand Liability for Historical Injustices:

Independently, yet in support of, the pursuit for a just and equal society, I categorically deny and do not take any responsibility for crimes committed by other people, regardless of the time frame in which they occurred — be it years, decades, centuries, or millennia ago, crimes of people who have absolutely nothing to do with me. In other words, I do not share collective guilt of any kind as I am responsible for my actions, and for my actions alone. I should not be punished for crimes done by other people, nor be discriminated against for such actions.

This disavowal extends to crimes committed particularly by individuals who share similar physical characteristics with me, such as gender, skin complexion and race, but also the religion into which I was born. My responsibility for actions by other people is unequivocally non-existent. This includes both physical crimes and those of a more abstract or collective nature, such as those related to general overarching societal structures or social systems, like the position of dominance by one race or gender over another or others.

I bear no accountability for the actions of others solely based on shared demographic or cultural characteristics and I should not be treated as such.

The concept of attributing guilt by association is not only fundamentally unjust but also perpetuates discriminatory and prejudicial attitudes.

Should any individual or entity attempt to impose such unjust judgment upon me, it will be recognized and challenged as an act of discrimination and racism.

I maintain the right to expose such wrongful discrimination and to expose and confront any instances of bias or bigotry directed towards me based on this flawed premise of collective guilt.

Additional Provisions:

  1. You are expected to adhere to these Terms and Conditions, no matter your social class, social background, social position, rank be it military or civilian, title be it royal, academic, religious, or other, your genealogy, pedigree, ascription, attribution, gender, sex, sexual orientation, religion or any other attribute, be it legal, social or natural.

  2. These Terms and Conditions may and will be updated from time to time.

  3. These Terms and Conditions are published under the Creative Commons License CC BY-NC - This license allows reuses to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.

  4. These Terms & Conditions may appear satirical but should be taken absolutely seriously.